Maidenhair Tree

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Tragopogon pratensis Edvard Koinberg
Tragopogon pratensis Edvard Koinberg

I'm in korea, so this tree is very common around here. A couple of factoids. NOTHING attacks it; no bugs, no fungi, nothing.
Although a gymnosperm, it produces a sort of fruit: when ripe, it's about the size of a grape. It's yellow and smells like vomit. The seed is edible; it looks like a small fava bean, and is quite tasty, although it causes constipation in moderate quantities (> about 6) and may be toxic at higher doses.

Just me showing off....

Derek Lactin

interesting! i knew it smelled like vomit because it does that here in NYC, too. but i hadn't thought that the seeds were edible, although that does make sense ..

The species is dioecious, so only the female trees stink. The leaves of both sexes turn the most beautiful brilliant yellow in the fall, at least at my latitude.

By Sven DiMilo (not verified) on 05 Jul 2008 #permalink